Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Sharon vs East Providence

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Sharon has the most people working from home (31.5%).
East Providence has the shortest commute (23 min average).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

MeasureWoonsocketSharonEast Providence
People
Population
43,521
18,574Lowest
47,281Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
42.5±1
9% above U.S.
45.1±2.4Highest
16% above U.S.
East Providence and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2
U.S.: 22%
27.2%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.6%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Sharon and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.6%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
20.8%±1.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
East Providence and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
76.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
31.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Woonsocket and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$191,835±$19kHighest
138% above U.S.
$75,912±$8k
6% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$737,100±$33kHighest
122% above U.S.
$365,500±$10k
10% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$2,310±$345Highest
63% above U.S.
$1,288±$75
9% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$4,545
46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
49%±16.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
48.5%±6.5
U.S.: 51.1%
Sharon and East Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
10.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
59.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1970Highest
10 yrs older than U.S.
1958
22 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
39 minHighest
46% above U.S.
23 minLowest
14% below U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
31.5%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.4%±2.6
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 38 in RI #23 of 282 in MA #29 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Sharon East Providence
High school in town Woonsocket High School Sharon High East Providence High
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2
11.9Lowest
15.5Highest
On TownTapestry
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U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.